CYBER KIDS was a nation-wide experiment launched in 1992 in Cyprus by Yiannis Laouris, George Vakanas and Maria Symeonides who all returned from the US to Cyprus with the vision that introducing advanced computer technology in the lives of a critical number of young children using an educationally relevant and socially responsible, peace-enhancing curriculum would allow them to “transcend” the country’s educational and political life and move the new generation a decade ahead. Many young scientists and visionaries soon joined what the inventors called the CYBER KIDS Dream.

Evolution

The evolution of the experiment was in many respects stormy and with great challenges, but nevertheless quite successful in terms of meeting its key objective. By the end of 1999, CYBER KIDS expanded in seven countries. The number of children in Cyprus alone, who benefited from its curriculum exceeded 15,000, which is approximately equal to 20% of the country’s youth population (ages 6-15). During the same period, the organization trained and employed 186 young and talented university graduates, thus combating brain drain while simultaneously spreading the CYBER KIDS Philosophy in many more spheres of social life. The extracurricular activities engaged a number of citizens that probably exceeds 20,000 and its impact in reforming and upgrading the educational system of Cyprus is recognizable both in terms of the reforms that have taken place which are in line with the CYBER KIDS Philosophy and the specific people who now pioneer in educational reforms who were originally inspired and/or trained by CYBER KIDS.